“Better friend. Better fighter. Better rider. Better eater. Better leader. Better generation. Better nation. Just be better. Can you do that?”‍

This was the challenge posed by Kendrick Lamar in Nike’s tribute video for Kobe Bryant, who would have turned 42 last Sunday, if not for the tragic plane crash that killed him and daughter Gianna early this year. 

Entitled ‘Better,’ the short ad continued a lesson taught best by the Black Mamba himself: to commit to excellence in every endeavor, to have laser-focus on the things one wants to achieve, and ultimately -- to be better.

Mamba Out

Lamar’s spoken word performance was accompanied by a collection of highlight clips from Bryant’s unparalleled Hall of Fame career.

Challenging as it must have been, the video summarized everything Kobe represented, and why he deserves to be remembered after he has passed on.

All this in an effort to push us all to follow such a great example of what each one of us can be:‍

“Better player. Better shooter. Better scorer. Better G.O.A.T. Better G.O.A.T. Better mentor. Better minor. Major. Mover. Shaker. Better skater. Better artist. Better teacher. Better preacher. Better believer. Better first. Better future. Better hero.”‍

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According to SB Nation, the short film ended with Bryant’s retirement speech, where the legendary basketball player, husband, and father bowed out of his amazing NBA career with two words that will forever resonate with generations of fans:‍

“Mamba out.”‍

This video is just the beginning, though. ‍

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Lasting Legacy

Nike’s ‘Mamba Week’ is celebrating not just Kobe’s unforgettable games and performances, but also everything inspiring he did off-court.

For starters, the company is donating $1 million to the ‘Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation’, whose main thrust is to promote the benefit of sports for kids of all ages.

The foundation reaches out to children living in ‘underserved’ communities, who face financial hurdles in their quest for greatness in sports. It also seeks to bolster opportunities for women athletes -- a cause Bryant poured himself into after hanging up the 8/24.‍

“While incremental change may feel small in the short-term, those subtle shifts culminate to greater progress over time. This relentless drive for improvement is the legacy Kobe leaves,” Nike explained of the campaign.